I. (currently amended) Gripper apparatus (—1-00) comprising:
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`IN THE CLAIMS
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`[H]
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`a gripper frame (—140) and a gripper beak (—1—20) including at least one moveable
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`gripper jaw (—1—2—1,—1—2—2—); the gripper beak (—1—20) having an open position and a closed position;
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`[H]
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`a jaw actuation mechanism (—130) for selectively actuating the gripper beak (—1—2—0)
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`to its open position or its closed position;
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`[H]
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`a clamping force generator (—153) biased to exert a clamping force on the gripper
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`beak (—1—20) urging the gripper beak (—1—20) towards its closed position;
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`[H]
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`a transmission mechanism (—1—7—0) comprising an input member (—1475)
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`that
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`is
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`vertically displaceable with respect
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`to the gripper frame (—1—1-0); wherein the transmission
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`mechanism (—140) engages the jaw actuation mechanism (—150) such that a high position of the
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`input member (—1475) corresponds to the closed position of the gripper beak (—1—20) while a
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`downward displacement of the input member (—1475) corresponds to a transition of the gripper
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`beak (—1—2—0) to its open position;
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`[H]
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`a carrier coupling device (440-) for coupling with a carrier device; which carrier
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`coupling device (—140); with respect to the gripper frame (—140); is vertically displaceable between
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`t—we—ext—reme—pesmens—I—e- an upper lifting position Hi—wh-leh—t-he-ea-FHeFeOH-ph-ng—deHee-W
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`position;
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`[H]
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`a latch mechanism (—1-60) coupled to a component of the transmission mechanism
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`(—1—7-0) or to a component of the jaw actuation mechanism (—130); the latch mechanism (-1-60)
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`having a release state in which the transmission mechanism (—140) and the jaw actuation
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`mechanism (—150) can move freely; and having a lock state in which the transmission mechanism
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`(—1—7-0) and the jaw actuation mechanism (—130) are prevented from moving from the open position
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`of the gripper beak (—1—2—0) to the closed position of the gripper beak (—1—2—0); for holding the gripper
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`beak (—1—2—0) in its open position.
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`2.
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`(currently amended)
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`[[G]] The gripper apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the latch
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`mechanism (—1-60) is of alternate push-push type.
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`3. (currently amended) [[G]] The gripper apparatus according to claim 2, wherein[[,]];
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`in the upper
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`lifting position,
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`the carrier coupling device is
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`in lifting-force
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`transferring engagement with the gripper frame;
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`in the lower rest position, the carrier coupling device presses down on the input
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`member of the transmission mechanism° and
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`when the latch mechanism (—1-60) is in its locked state, the carrier coupling device (440-) is
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`free to move upwards to its upper lifting position while the input member (-1475) of the
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`transmission mechanism (-1—7-0) is prevented from following the carrier coupling device (—140) and
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`remains in a low position.
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`4.
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`(currently amended)
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`[[G]] Mgripper apparatus according to claim 2 01%, wherein, when
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`the latch mechanism (—1-60) is in its locked state and the input member (—1475) of the transmission
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`mechanism (-1—7-0) is in its low position and the gripper beak (—1—2—0) is in its open position, the
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`carrier coupling device (440-) is free to move downwards to engage the input member (—1475) of
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`the transmission mechanism (—140) in its low position, and wherein subsequent downward and
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`upward movement of the carrier coupling device (—140) will cause the latch mechanism (—1-60) to
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`make a transition to its release state.
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`5.
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`(currently amended)
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`[[G]] The gripper apparatus according to a-ny—oiLd-a-i-m-s—Z—4 claim 2,
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`wherein[[,]];
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`in the upper
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`lifting position,
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`the carrier coupling device is
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`in lifting-force
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`transferring engagement with the gripper frame;
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`in the lower rest position, the carrier coupling device presses down on the input
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`member of the transmission mechanism° and
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`when the latch mechanism (—1-60) is in its released state, the carrier coupling device (—140)
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`is free to move upwards to its lifting position and the input member (—1475) of the transmission
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`mechanism (—1—7-0) under influence of the clamping force exerted by the force generator (—133) is
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`caused to follow the carrier coupling device (—140) and reach its high position while
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`simultaneously the clamping force exerted by the clamping force generator (—133) causes the
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`gripper beak (—1—20) to make a transition to its closed position.
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`6.
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`(currently amended)
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`[[G]] The gripper apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gripper
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`beak (—1—2—0) reaches its closed position before the carrier coupling device (—140) reaches its lifting
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`position.
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`7.
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`(currently amended)
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`[[G]] The gripper apparatus according to anyofiel—aims—Z—é claim 2,
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`wherein, when the latch mechanism (—1-60) is in its released state and the input member (—1475) of
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`the transmission mechanism (—1—7-0) is in its high position and the gripper beak (—1—2—0) is in its
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`closed position, the carrier coupling device (440-) is free to move downwards to engage the input
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`member (—1475) of the transmission mechanism (—140), wherein further downwards movement of
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`the carrier coupling device (—140) forces the input member (—1475) of the transmission mechanism
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`(—1—7-0) downwards against
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`the clamping force exerted by the force generator (—133) while
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`simultaneously forcing the gripper beak (—1—20) to its open position, and simultaneously causing
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`the latch mechanism (—1-60) to make a transition to its lock state.
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`8.
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`(currently amended) Robot arm comprising [[a]] th_e gripper apparatus according to a-n-y—of
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`the—previous—d-a-i-ms claim 1.
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`9. (currently amended) Palletiser comprising [[a]] th_e gripper apparatus according to a-n-y—oiLt-he
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`previous—61mm claim 1.
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`10.
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`(currently amended) Drone comprising [[21]] th_e gripper apparatus according to any—eiLt-he
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`previeu-s—el-a-i-m-s claim 1.
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`11.
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`(new) The gripper apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when the latch mechanism is in
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`its locked state and the input member of the transmission mechanism is in its low position and
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`the gripper beak is in its open position, the carrier coupling device is free to move downwards to
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`engage the input member of the transmission mechanism in its low position, and wherein
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`subsequent downward and upward movement of the carrier coupling device will cause the latch
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`mechanism to make a transition to its release state.
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`12.
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`(new) The gripper apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when the latch mechanism is in
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`its released state, the carrier coupling device is free to move upwards to its lifting position and
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`the input member of the transmission mechanism under influence of the clamping force exerted
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`by the force generator is caused to follow the carrier coupling device and reach its high position
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`while simultaneously the clamping force exerted by the clamping force generator causes the
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`gripper beak to make a transition to its closed position.
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`13.
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`(new) The gripper apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when the latch mechanism is in
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`its released state and the input member of the transmission mechanism is in its high position and
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`the gripper beak is in its closed position, the carrier coupling device is free to move downwards
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`to engage the input member of the transmission mechanism, wherein further downwards
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`movement of the carrier coupling device forces the input member of the transmission mechanism
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`downwards against the clamping force exerted by the force generator while simultaneously
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`forcing the gripper beak to its open position, and simultaneously causing the latch mechanism to
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`make a transition to its lock state.
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`14.
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`(new) The gripper apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when the latch mechanism is in
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`its released state, the carrier coupling device is free to move upwards to its lifting position and
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`the input member of the transmission mechanism under influence of the clamping force exerted
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`by the force generator is caused to follow the carrier coupling device and reach its high position
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`while simultaneously the clamping force exerted by the clamping force generator causes the
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`gripper beak to make a transition to its closed position.
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`15.
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`(new) The gripper apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when the latch mechanism is in
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`its released state and the input member of the transmission mechanism is in its high position and
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`the gripper beak is in its closed position, the carrier coupling device is free to move downwards
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`to engage the input member of the transmission mechanism, wherein further downwards
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`movement of the carrier coupling device forces the input member of the transmission mechanism
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`downwards against the clamping force exerted by the force generator while simultaneously
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`forcing the gripper beak to its open position, and simultaneously causing the latch mechanism to
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`make a transition to its lock state.
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`16.
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`(new) The gripper apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, when the latch mechanism is in
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`its released state and the input member of the transmission mechanism is in its high position and
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`the gripper beak is in its closed position, the carrier coupling device is free to move downwards
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`to engage the input member of the transmission mechanism, wherein further downwards
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`movement of the carrier coupling device forces the input member of the transmission mechanism
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`downwards against the clamping force exerted by the force generator while simultaneously
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`forcing the gripper beak to its open position, and simultaneously causing the latch mechanism to
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`make a transition to its lock state.
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`17.
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`(new) The gripper apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, when the latch mechanism is in
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`its released state and the input member of the transmission mechanism is in its high position and
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`the gripper beak is in its closed position, the carrier coupling device is free to move downwards
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`to engage the input member of the transmission mechanism, wherein further downwards
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`movement of the carrier coupling device forces the input member of the transmission mechanism
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`downwards against the clamping force exerted by the force generator while simultaneously
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`forcing the gripper beak to its open position, and simultaneously causing the latch mechanism to
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`make a transition to its lock state.
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